July DeForthe
Firecracker, real name July DeForthe, is a wannabe superhero. As her name suggests, her arsenal consists of firework-based weaponry. She has an obsession with fireworks and explosives, while trying to keep these urges under wraps. Background Purely by coincidence and contrivance, July DeFourthe was born on the 4th of July. Her father was a was a firework manufacturer, while her mother was a commander in the military. Growing up in this household, she was taught to love two things: Fireworks and America. At age 10, she snuck into her dad's workshop. There, she found a stash of imperfect, half-finished fireworks. Due to her young age, she didn't see the danger of lighting them off, until they blew up right in her hands. The resulting explosion cost her both her arms from the elbow down, as well as deeply scarred the right side of her face. On top of that, she also lost her right eye while making her left one partially colorblind, only allowing her to see bright red and blue. The explosion changed her. She became obsessed with fireworks and explosives, gaining symptoms of pyromania. Now fitted with robotic prosthetics, she started making her own fireworks, playing with her dad's recipes in order to make an even more impactful boom. After deliberately destroying the neighbor's house and causing property damage all across the neighborhood, her parents finally decided she needed help. At the age of 12, she was sent away to a boarding school for disturbed young women, where she remained for 6 years. By the time she was released, she felt lost. She thought of herself as a bad person, thinking her urges to burn and explode were of no use to society, and should be locked away inside her. This all changed when she saw a superhero on TV, being congratulated for saving the day. It was then she realized there was a place to utilize her talents for good, where she could be a good person while also blowing things up. She donned an outfit modeled after her favorite Western movies, and set out to do good in the world. Now It's been 5 years since her initial decision to become a vigilante. Unfortunately, while July tries to be a good person, she isn't cut out to be a superhero. She doesn't enjoy her work, nor is she particularly good at it. Most of the time, she ends up causing more bad than good. She almost always catches the bad guy, no matter how tough, but not before causing thousands of dollars worth of property damage. Even though she saves the day constantly, her tendency for destruction has earned her the disrespect from the general population. She lives in a crappy apartment complex, usually scraping to pay rent every month, with her 12 year old orphan sidekick constantly nagging her to do good. Personality While July used to be a happy, optimistic girl, these 5 years as an incompetent hero has taken a toll on her. Five years after her initial decision to become a superhero, she's become jaded towards the whole thing. Try as she might to do good, she never seems to get it just right. Truth be told, July would be much happier if she turned villain, and she knows it, but refuses to admit it. Her devotion to Uncle Sam and her sidekick are the only two things that prevent her from going bad. She has a short temper, getting angry easily, and won't hesitate to fistfight over petty reasons. Usually, April has to be the one to bail her out of situations like this. While she has a hard exterior, July is rather sweet deep-down. She's deeply caring and protective about the people she likes, but too stubborn to ever admit how she feels. She has her own code of honor, always respecting deals and repaying favors no matter what. She's incredibly trustworthy, never going back on her word. Relationship with April One day, a 12 year old girl started following July arrowed, calling herself her "sidekick." Her name was April Firth, a chipper, optimistic go-getter with a pair of fire hoses for arms. Nearly the opposite of July, April is sunny and naive, while July is gloomy and smart. At first, July hated April, wishing she'd just leave her alone for good. The only reason July begrudgingly let her stay was thanks to her ability to put out the fires July caused. However, over time, she grew to care for April like the little sister she never had. She'd never openly admit it, but one of the few reasons July doesn't just jump to the side of evil is because she doesn't want to disappoint April. Despite not letting it show, she is incredibly protective of April, ferociously attacking anybody who dare hurt or threaten her. Powers and Abilities As stated above, July doesn't have any powers of her own. Instead, she has a vast array of firework and patriotic themed weaponry at her disposal. * Mechanical Know-How--Despite her appearance, July is actually rather smart. An expert mechanic, she can rebuild or repair almost anything, given the right tools. She was able to modify her own cybernetic arm implants to transform into arm cannons. * Liberty and Justice--July lost both her arms in an explosion when she was younger, being replaced by robotic prosthetic. Thanks to her own modifications, they now can transform into a pair of firework cannons. Her own special recipe goes into every firework, each one packing the punch of a small, colorful rocket launcher blast. The cannons seemingly never run out of explosives, a reason nobody knows why. * Grenades--July carries various firework-themed grenades on her person at all times. They combine the color and beauty of fireworks with military-grade firepower. These include: ** Cherry Bomb--High Powered explosives that can be lobbed, great for getting hiding opponents ** Flashers--Used to disorient and blind opponents ** Smoke Bombs--Multi-colored smokescreens for a quick getaway ** Snakes--The least-used, only good in very specific situations. 5 Inches in diameter, can instantaneously create large treebranch-like tendrils. Good for tripping charging or unsuspecting opponents. * Freedom's Wings--July's strange boots contain its own array of explosives. When July needs to get somewhere quick, wheels pop out of the bottom of her boots, turning them into a pair of rocket rollerblades. She can jump incredibly high, as her boots will shoot a firework directly beneath her, causing an explosion that propels her upwards. While she can't fly, she can change her direction mid-air with a small propulsion burst from her hands or boots. * The Commander in Chief--July's most powerful firework, located on top of her head in the shape of a hat. When it needs to be used, she tilts her head down and fires it off her noggin. Incredibly powerful, the Commander in Chief is a last resort weapon, capable of destroying a whole city block. On top of being strong, it is also incredibly hard to produce, taking a full 2 weeks worth of work just to produce one. Gallery July firefull.png|July's pyromania shows through April and July.png|Sisterly love Category:Characters Category:Female Category:Hero